Make-A-Wish® UK

When the Lionesses met Make-A-Wish UK ⚽ Laura, Emilka, Hannah and Sienna all told their Wish Makers how much they love football. From enjoying the atmosphere and cheering, to attending Football Therapy for mental and physical health or enjoying watching the game when their illness has prevented them from playing, they’re keen fans of the sport and Lionesses! We want to say a big thank you to #Lionesses and everyone at The FA for bringing joy and magic to our wish children during their toughest of times 💙 Wishing the team the best of luck in their match tonight! 👏 #Lionesses #EnglandWomen #WEURO2025 #WishGranted

We're #hiring a new Wish Discovery Coordinator in Reading, England. Apply today or share this post with your network.

What was the best party you’ve ever been to? Was it a birthday, a celebration or perhaps even a work get together? 🎉 Later this month, we're granting a very special party wish and need your help to get the final supplies ready ⭐ Can you or your organisation help make this wish as magical as possible and buy from our Amazon wish list? https://amzn.eu/0i6caM1R Thank you so much - we're very grateful! 💙 #MakeAWishUK #AmazonWishList #Party #wish

Hiya everyone! I’m Hannah A. the Senior Gaming Partnerships & Campaigns Manager here at Make-A-Wish® UK 👋 A love for gaming can stem from anywhere but for me, it’s the fond memories of playing on my Gameboy on trips to my grandparents’ houses as a child. With less than one month to go until #Wish200Week, I want to share the impact we know gaming can have on critically ill children. Games provide a much-needed escape into imaginative worlds, teach new skills, and foster connections with friends and family through co-op play. These experiences are invaluable, bringing company, joy and inspiration. We’ve seen a 400% increase in gaming-related wishes in recent years, which just emphasises its importance. 🎮 There are countless ways for you to support Wish 200 Week this July - from in-game builds and bake sales to streaming tournaments. Please do reach out to me on hannah.ashwell@makeawish.org.uk if you’re able to get involved – this year’s event features amazing participants and surprises! You won’t want to miss out! Outside of work, I’m inspired by watching people conquer difficult puzzles and epic boss fights, and I love seeing speedrunners breeze through games that took me hours to complete. But gaming streams aren't just passive entertainment; they foster a vibrant community where people socialize, share stories, and support each other. Beyond games, platforms like Twitch and YouTube feature creators streaming baking, arts and crafts, conversation and more, making it a fun and engaging experience for everyone. ⭐ P.S. if you could enter one video game, what would it be? For me, it’s Skyrim! I’d love to annoy the guards, perfect my archery and fly dragons – let me know in the comments what yours would be! 🐉 #MakeAWishUK #Gaming #Gamer #Wish200Week #GamesIndustry #Partner #ContentCreators #InfluencerMarketing #Games

“We’ve been able to make memories that will last a lifetime! So much thought and care went into it. It was truly a wish come true for all of us!” – Mum. We want to say a big thank you to all the players of the People's Postcode Lottery. Your support has enabled our Wishgranters to grant Penelope’s wish. Read on to find out what she got up to. Royal family fanatic Penelope was diagnosed with Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, a rare genetic disorder. Heartbreakingly, her diagnosis came just two months after her older brother, Lucas (10), received the same diagnosis. “When we were told, it was like time stopped – there were lots of tears and shock – a living hell,” said Mum. Living with such a rare condition has robbed the family of time spent together outside of the hospital, making memories that lots of families take for granted. When Penelope started gene therapy, she spent most of Christmas in hospital and missed three months of school. The impact of this was devastating. As Mum told us: “Penelope had lost a lot of confidence in her body’s abilities and strength.” However, the generous support from People's Postcode Lottery and their amazing #PostcodeLotteryPeople meant we were able to grant Penelope’s wish ‘to be a queen for the day’. 👑 The wish included a two-night stay in London and a tour of Buckingham Palace fit for a queen: “The trip to the palace was amazing, it was an incredible surprise to go through the front gates!! The staff greeted her as Your Majesty and Queen Penelope which was fabulous. They also included Lucas which was lovely.” Penelope’s wish didn’t stop there! Her Royal Highness headed over to a hat fitting at Rachel Trevor-Morgan Millinery - the world-renowned royal millinery- where she was gifted a wealth of elegant hats and got to see all the hard work that goes into making them. “She had such a lovely time at Rachel Trevor-Morgan’s,” said Mum. ✨ “Thank you so, so much for Penelope’s wish!” – Mum. #PostcodeLotteryPeople #MakeAWishUK #ThankYou #Queen

Gaming is a lifeline for many of our wish children 🎮 “Lots of wish children are gamers like me, and a gaming wish can provide a lifeline for them too - a tool for them to communicate with their friends, get away from the pain and isolation of treatment and hospital stays, and escape to a world where they can be themselves again. It can help to remove the fear, anxiety and the realities of their condition. I know these wishes have a hugely positive impact on improving a young person’s mental health at a time when they need it the most.” – Sophie, wish child. This July, you and your organisation can support Wish 200 Week, our week-long campaign aiming to raise funds to grant 200 wishes for critically ill children. You will be helping bring the magic and joy of gaming to children like Sophie through some of the toughest moments of their lives. Your support can make all the difference – send a message to our gaming team, Hannah A. and Ben Moore to get involved now ⭐ A big thank you to all our partners already signed up! Miniclip First Touch Games Ltd. Playrix Sony Interactive Entertainment Logitech G Overclockers UK Perp Games #MakeAWishUK #Gaming #Industry #Streaming #Wish200Week

We’re thrilled to share that our ‘Disney Wish’ experience has returned for its fourth magical year ⭐ Thanks to the incredible support of The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland, we invited over 190 families, (our biggest cohort yet!) to join us for a three-day immersive wish experience right here in the UK. A Disney Wish is a brilliant experience which enables children living with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions and their families to share in the magic of Disney and make life-long memories they can treasure forever 💙 #MakeAWishUK #DisneyUK #ADisneyWish #Partnership #Disney #Magic #Wish

Meet 14-year-old daredevil and experience seeker Ava 👋 Ava lives with Infantile Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia – a progressive neurological condition. She doesn’t let her diagnosis stop her and enjoys trying out new hobbies whenever she can. When the family met our Wish Makers, they told us that Ava loves the cold weather, especially the snow. Due to where they live, Ava has only experienced snow once in her life at home but has always wanted to go exploring where there’s an abundance of it. ❄️ We recently granted her wish ‘to have an indoor Ski experience’ where she got to hit the slopes and experience the snow in an adrenaline-inducing wish! 🎿 After the wish, Dad said: “Ava loved her first ski experience! A memorable whirlwind long weekend. Everyone will sleep well tonight 😴.” #MakeAWish #Ski #IndoorSki

Hello! I’m Hannah Tobin 👋 As I reflect on my first year with Make-A-Wish® UK, I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible journey it’s been! From volunteering at vibrant events like the Art of Wishes' gala or taking part in wish discoveries as a Wish Maker - every experience has been a testament to the magic that’s created here at Make-A-Wish ✨ From day one, I was fortunate to meet Louise, who started on the same day, Lily, who joined a few weeks later, and in January of this year, Chelsea. Together, we’ve grown into a cohesive and dynamic team, learning and perfecting our processes, with the support of our fantastic lead, Lucy. Our roles have evolved significantly, expanding our remit and daily responsibilities. Whether it’s engaging with our supporters and following their fundraising journeys, importing data, sending off stock requests, supporting other teams; each task has its own set of rewards and learning opportunities ⭐ One of the highlights of my first year was assisting with our ‘A Night of Wishes’ ball. I got to work closely with our brilliant Events team, and it was amazing to see the intricate planning and coordination that goes into making these events so memorable! No two days are the same, and that’s what makes my role so exciting. We juggle multiple responsibilities, supporting various teams within the organisation and ensure that every plate remains spinning. Being part of Make-A-Wish UK has not only allowed me to contribute to a cause I am deeply passionate about but has also fostered tremendous personal growth. I’ve learnt to navigate complex challenges, develop new skills, and work collaboratively with an amazing team 💙 If you’d like to get involved in helping us to grant wishes, I’d love to hear from you! You can reach me at hannah.tobin@makeawish.org.uk #MeetTheTeam #MakeAWishUK #Wish

Four-year-old Nellie was diagnosed with Metachromatic leukodystrophy - a degenerative and life-limiting metabolic disease. Today we're sharing Nellie's wish ‘to go on a UK holiday woodland break and stay in a treehouse’, as written and captured by her family 💙 “I felt very stressed before Nellie’s trip because we hadn’t been on a real adventure for a very long time. Adventure and being outdoors were always something Tom and I did with ease, but a diagnosis like Nellie’s steals that from you in the same way it steals so much. “From the 3am start to the flying to the staying in the middle of nowhere, the stress levels were on high alert. All of this wasn’t helped by Nellie being blue-lighted to hospital just three nights before the wish. It was, however, wasted stress because this trip was magical in a way neither Tom nor I could’ve envisioned. Nellie wasn’t her most well and for the last two days it rained relentlessly but it was still beyond heavenly. “I can’t thank @makeawishuk enough or our Wishgranter who went backwards and forewords with me to get it right. I didn’t know what was best for Nellie, it felt so much pressure to get her wish perfect when she couldn’t tell me herself, but our Wishgranter got it right in ways I don’t think I could of if I’d done it myself. “This trip will stay with us forever. Watching Nellie’s face as the plane took off (adrenaline junkie) whilst we all held hands or sitting cuddling in the log cabin with the sound of the rain and the fire crackling or even just looking out to sea before breakfast, will stay with me as memories of the beautiful life we did our best to give her. For families like us those memories will help us survive the darkest days. It was more than we could have hoped for, it truly was a wish granted. 💛” #Wish #Adventure #Holiday #Treehouse #MakeAWishUK